The sudden burst of warm temperature has seemingly brought a variety of insects to life. Most common species being spotted are the boxelder bug, brown marmorated stinkbug, lady beetles, and, to a lesser extent, cluster flies. All these species have over-wintering adult-stages that have occupied overwintering sites in and around homes or anyplace they found the right combination of warmth and moisture last fall necessary to survive the winter.
This early movement of insects amounts to a “false start” for spring which is why they appear to explode at our windowsills and doors. The jump to afternoon temperatures in the low 80s prompt these bugs to leave their overwintering sites and seek out their preferred host plants and food sources whether they are available now or not. But this is followed by an equally rapid move to seek shelter when temperatures return to more seasonal daytime temperatures in the 50-degree range and around freezing at night.
Windows and building siding warmed by the sun are favorite congregation sites when ambient temperatures fall. The aforementioned species are mostly harmless other than a nuisance presence and sometimes some discoloration of surfaces where they congregate that usually can be easily cleaned with water and a detergent appropriate for the surface.
But there is one dreaded species that exhibits swarming behavior in the spring and that is the subterranean termite. During the daylight hours of the spring months (March through May in Virginia) homeowners may begin to see winged termites emerge in large numbers inside their home or from the soil outside (often have the appearance of a “flying ant”). The swarmers are new termite kings and queens that must leave their parent colonies in order to mate and establish new colonies of their own. The termite swarmers pair up during their flight, then land and search for a place to start their own colony.
Subterranean termites are constantly at risk of drying out; this is why they must live in the soil which has the capacity to hold water for a long period of time and keep the colony moist. When termites forage above ground, they must maintain their connection to the soil so that the workers and soldiers can return frequently to replenish their body moisture. However, on some occasions, subterranean termite colonies do become established above ground. These above ground infestations are almost exclusively found in structures with chronic moisture problems. Chronic moisture problems are usually the result of leaves and moisture accumulation on a flat roof, pipes leaking within the structure, or poor ventilation in crawl spaces. In such cases, the colony can survive above ground indefinitely. Remaining vigilant to ensure no part of a structure is perpetually moist is the best defense against termites.
A portion of this week’s column was taken directly from Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 444502 by Dr. Dini Miller. For a printed copy of the complete version of this informative article on termites or for assistance identifying insects of concern, contact the Rockbridge Extension office at (540) 463-4734.
